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Common red-, white- or pink-flowering geraniums (Pelargonium x hortorum) are favorites for containers, window boxes and bedding schemes. These plants, with their bright, round flower heads grow as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11. Sun-loving geraniums need five to six hours of direct sunlight and 12 hours of daylight per day to produce abundant flowers.

Culture

When growing geraniums, you want them covered in flowers, bushy and relatively compact. Light is critical to achieving these goals. Plants getting too little light will become "leggy," producing tall, spindly stems with fewer leaves. You'll also have fewer flowers. To remedy the situation, place the plant in brighter light, trim back leggy stems by one- to two-thirds and water thoroughly. Recovery should start within about a week, when the plant begins to put out new growth.

Varieties

When you go to the garden center, you'll likely find a huge selection of geraniums. These include common zonal geraniums for containers and bedding, as well as ivy-leaved types that work well for window boxes and hanging baskets. Scented-leaved geraniums exude fruity or minty scents. Regal types have large, often bi-colored flowers. Though all geraniums need full sun, ivy-leaved varieties have the highest light requirements, while the taller regal or Martha Washington types benefit from bright light while forming flower buds and filtered light when in bloom.

Uses

Geraniums thrive in greenhouses and conservatories where you can control the light and temperature. Treated as annuals, they do well in sunny outdoor beds and containers. Container-grown geraniums can be overwintered inside, near south-facing windows. Supplemental light, in the form of portable plant lights, can help the plants get through short winter days. Ivy-leaved geraniums can be trained and tied to climb up supports or cascade over the sides of hanging baskets. Scented types work well in raised beds or planted by paths where you can appreciate their fragrances.

Companions

Geraniums pair best with plants that have the same light, soil and moisture requirements. In hot-colored beds, they shine in the company of other sun lovers like annual zinnias (Zinnia spp.) and dahlias (Dahlia spp.), which grow in USDA zones 7 through 10. Traditionally, geraniums have been used in parterres or carpet bedding schemes, with swathes of single-colored blooms planted in the company of blocks of marigolds (Tagetes erecta), or lobelia (Lobelia erinus), which grows in USDA zones 10 through 11, to form intricate patterns.

About the Author

Elisabeth Ginsburg, a writer with over 20 years' experience, earned an M.A. from Northwestern University and has done advanced study in horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden. Her work has been published in the "New York Times," "Christian Science Monitor," "Horticulture Magazine" and other national and regional publications.